U.S. Pat. No. 4,537,375 discloses a method for introducing prebias torque into satellite thrusters during a translational change in velocity maneuver, such as that associated with stationkeeping. The present invention, on the other hand, is a method for spinning up a spacecraft that is normally three-axis body stabilized. Nutation growth is controlled while rotation is made to occur about an unstable axis. The introduction of prebias torques is but one element in the preferred embodiment of the present invention.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,758,051 discloses a method for reorienting in inertial space the spin vector of a spinning satellite using external references. The present invention, on the other hand, does not reorient the spin vector, and does not use any external references.
Secondary references are: U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,158,337, 3,984,071, 4,326,684, 4,370,716, 4,374,579, and 4,471,926; and Defensive Publication T100,604. In addition to the above references, it is noted that other prior artisans have ejected satellites from the bay of the space shuttle by using a "frisbee" ejection in an attempt to give the requisite spin prior to perigee motor firing. Still other prior artisans have used heavy and expensive spin tables within the bay of the space shuttle itself to achieve this spin.